Three of Britain's coal power stations are likely to close up to four years
earlier than expected, the Government has admitted.

Experts have long warned of the potential for power shortages because six of Britain's coal stations must close by the end of 2015 under European rules. However, it now appears that half of these stations, representing 8pc of Britain's capacity, are likely to shut early because they will have been burning fuel for too many hours – more than 20,000 in total since 2008.

New Government estimates show Cockenzie, owned by Scottish Power, is likely to have to close completely by April. Kingsnorth, owned by E.ON, is on track to have to shut by March 2013. Meanwhile, Tilbury, which is being converted into a biomass station by RWE, may have to go by July 2013 unless it can convince the European Union (EU) its new fuel is cleaner.

Experts believe more wind on the grid will help to offset the loss of power from coal. On Thursday, it emerged that 10pc of the UK's electricity came from wind for the first time this quarter. However, Simon Cowdroy, of WSP Future Energy, said: "Although the figures show a rise in renewable generation, this may not be enough to prevent a shortfall in UK capacity."

Biomass could replace coal in some power stations. However, a Government announcement on whether biomass will get higher subsidies has been delayed this summer.

In recent weeks, a new warning has come from the EU's European Environment Agency that bioenergy may be no more green than fossil fuels.

"Legislation that encourages substitution of fossil fuels by bioenergy, irrespective of the biomass source, may even result in increased carbon emissions – thereby accelerating global warming," it said.